Conscious Business Leaders
Sage Lavine started out as a self-described “timid schoolgirl” in Iowa. She remained in Iowa and became a science teacher. Sage learned the lesson that society expects young women to play limited roles. As she got older, Sage rebelled. She got “sick of hearing “no” so often. That led her on a path to become a warrior for conscious women entrepreneurs. She has trained thousands of women to become socially conscious business leaders. She has helped them find their voices and to share their messages with the people who are waiting for them. Sage said she is looking for all those women and the “few good men” who want to make a difference in the world as entrepreneurs. She’s now looking to help Women as Business Leaders.
Sage believes that feminine values and qualities make for stronger leaders and better entrepreneurs. There are a few common obstacles facing the women she works with. One of the biggest is fear. Sage believes that fear can be turned into a powerful tool. It can be used to reveal your humility, and it can be used to deepen your connection to your ideal audience.
The Face Test
Sage lays out a process for conscious leaders who have a story to tell. She stresses that it’s important to develop focus and a crystal clear message. You need to work on one thing at a time, one special message at a time. When you have that nailed down, you can build from there.
Another important step is to develop a profile of your ideal client, your “customer avatar.” Once you develop that profile, you need to apply the “Face Test.” You’ve passed the Face Test when you describe your ideal client to a few people and the description brings up pictures of people they know.
Many aspiring women entrepreneurs don’t think that what they have to say is important enough to interest others. Sage teaches them that they need to give themselves credit for what they’ve been through. There are others now going through it. When they are confident about their value, they need to get their message out one step at a time, one small group at a time, one project at a time.
Do It Live
Another critical element is to practice delivering the message to a live audience. It doesn’t matter if you’re only starting in your living room with just a handful of women, as Sage did when she started. The live audience provides practice and feedback. It can also be the source of possible success stories and testimonials.
You don’t know if there’s a market for your message until you put it in front of live human beings. You don’t know what people need until you start talking to them. With the Internet as an intermediary between you and your intended audience, you’re not able to gain the intimacy you need to develop the message and the community. Intimacy leads to connection and “connection equals currency.” Part of the intimacy comes through a sharing of your vulnerability. That vulnerability must also be matched with an equal measure of credibility.
Get Out There
Figure out how you want to serve. Give yourself credit for what you’ve been through match that up with people who are looking for the help that your message can provide. You don’t need to wait until your message is perfect. Start where you are, move step-by-step and “build your finishing muscles.”
